by Mario GranataWith the recent dismissal of Doug Whaley, everyone who is within earshot of the 716 is wondering who could be his successor. There are a few names being thrown around in the media: names like Brett Veach, who is the Co-Director of Player Personnel in Kansas City, Don Gregory, who is the Director of Player Personnel in Carolina, and Brandon Beane who is currently the Assistant GM in Carolina. There are many reasons why these would be top choices, but before you dive into who will be the new GM in Buffalo, look at the recent developments at One Bills Drive and the blueprint that has been laid out before Sean McDermott.

by Mario GranataJohn Harbaugh faces a team that he hasn’t had to face since becoming the head coach in 2008…a team in repair. Its nice to have all the pieces in place when you take over a squad, which is the reason why he had 4 ten win seasons in his first 5 years. In more recent times, he has had only 1 ten-win season in the past 4, and despite an 8-8 season in 2016, his job might be in jeopardy. Drastic measures have to be taken for his aging squad.

by Mario GranataSince taking the helm in 2014, Mike Zimmer completely changed the face of the Vikings franchise. He went 7-9 in his rookie campaign, then 11-5 in his second seasons before storming to a 5-0 start in 2016, and all this AFTER losing his starting quarterback. Quarterback Sam Bradford had a solid season considering that his starting running back got hurt, and his leading receiver was a 5th round draft pick. What will Zimmer have up his sleeve as the Vikings head into 2017?

The Arizona Cardinals, after having a dominate 2015, followed it up with a miserable season. Losing not one major player via free agency, most pundits were riding the thought of the Cardinals going to the Super Bowl, and why not? They had basically the same returning team, had no major draft needs, and the only major concern was if Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald could hold father time off for one more season. To be honest, 2016 was looking good. Then 2016 happened. Not so good.

by Mario Granata
Pederson, Reich and Schwartz, three names that seem more suited for a law firm, negotiated the Eagles to a 7-9 mark in 2016, and in all respects, started to build the foundation of winning in Philadelphia. The three gentlemen in question, coming from the Chiefs, Chargers and Bills, respectively, are all individuals who know what it is going to take to win in the NFL. They have just about stripped away all the remnants of the “Chip Kelly Experiment” and are moving forward.

Normally not many head coaches can weather a storm of three consecutive 7 win seasons but Sean Payton is anything but normal. Mickey Loomis has to be nearing the end of his time in New Orleans, saved likely by the uncertainty surrounding ownership. With that said, the Saints have a lot to accomplish in this draft.

by Paul Wanecski, Mario Granata and Ryan Lasal
Reruns are a mixed bag, depending on whom you talk to. In Buffalo, New York over the past 17 years, the same episode would play out. Bills hire a coach. Coach doesn’t win. Bills fire coach. Rinse and repeat. However, with the addition of Sean McDermott, there is something that is new in the air around One Bills Drive. It starts from the top down and it screams of accountability. While coaches have tried to implement their “system” McDermott is hell-bent on making sure he is the man, and if you look down the timeline of successful coaches, they were the final word in what happened with their team. McDermott seems poised to take that role. The question is, will it actually transfer to wins?

By Paul WanecskiAnother season, another winless playoff record (the last victory was in 1991). In fact, a large part of the Bengals roster was born after 1991, meaning they have never been on this planet during a time when a Bengals playoff win occurred. In the last eight seasons, head coach Marvin Lewis has led his team to the playoffs six times, finishing the regular season first in the division three times. 2016, even with decent production, still earned the Bengals the ninth overall selection in this year’s NFL draft.

by Mario GranataGoing from a 15-1 record to 6-10 usually gets head coaches fired in the NFL. However, Riverboat Ron was able to keep his head above water, which is certainly a make-or-break year for him. How did the Panthers fall so far so fast? The easy explanation would be that their offense scored 8 less points a game, and their defense gave up 6 more points. But even then, you would think that a team who was so good should at least be 8-8, right? While schedule does play a part in a team’s turnaround, execution in crucial situations was the Panthers undoing in 2016.